True or False? Benjamin Banneker used a telescope and mathematics to predict a solar eclipse. True! In 1789, Banneker calculated when the moon would pass between the earth and sun. And he did it without any formal math or science training. As a young boy, he worked on the farm owned by his father, who was a freed slave in Maryland. He helped to survey and plot out the site for the U.S. capital city, Washington, D.C. He also published several almanacs...

"Eighteenth-century mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Banneker was widely known and respected in his time. Most of what he knew, he taught himself. His letter to Thomas Jefferson asked the future president to reconsider his racial prejudices. Learn about Banneker, who abolitionists would use as proof that people of any race can be equally intelligent. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic...

A biography of the African-American farmer and self-taught mathematician, astronomer, and surveyor for the new capital city of the United States in 1791, who also calculated a successful almanac notable for its preciseness.

"Meet Buzz Aldrin, part of the first moon landing! Follow Aldrin's story as he graduates from West Point, serves in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, develops a rendezvous program for the Gemini and Apollo missions, and flies to the moon on the Apollo 11 mission. Infographics, historic photos, and a glossary enhance readers' understanding of this topic. Additional features include a table of contents, an index, a timeline and fun...

Brief biographies of ten American astronomers, including Maria Mitchell, Percival Lowell, and Carl Sagan.

A biography of the eighteenth-century African American who taught himself mathematics and astronomy and helped survey what would become Washington, D.C.